Fall Camp Chatter: Nebraska at Big Ten Media Days

How are the Cornhuskers doing heading into fall camp? We learned about Nebraska’s mentality at Big Ten Media Days.

Nebraska at Big Ten Media Days

Dylan Raiola

Rhule didn’t hold back when talking about Nebraska at Big Ten Media Days.  He was extremely confident up at the podium because he was able to flip the trajectory of two programs. This began at Temple in 2015 when he led the Owls to a 10-4 record. And four years later, Rhule coached Baylor to an 11-3 record. He knew his success paid off when the Bears appeared in the Sugar Bowl against the Georgia Bulldogs. Now, Rhule will look at Raiola to deliver in epic fashion. He certainly did it with his suit. But can he improve Nebraska’s record this season?  The talented freshman took the program to new heights in 2024. The Cornhuskers finally finished above .500, and he helped end a historic bowl skid by winning the Pinstripe Bowl over Boston College.  This is a launch point that should allow the Cornhuskers to blast off in the Big Ten Conference. However, it will depend on how the team approaches close games. According to Sports Illustrated, Raiola was adamant that “the narrative can change this year.”  With Dana Holgorsen’s involvement in the offense, the Cornhuskers can finally count on their players, “To go make plays.” On the other hand, Raiola can also count on himself in tough situations. During the offseason, the Georgia native spent a lot of time training with his strength coaches. This has allowed him to “give his teammates the best version of himself.”

Deshon Singleton

The sixth-year defensive back had a chance to pursue his NFL dreams. However, Singleton chose to return to Lincoln. This is mainly because “he wanted to come back and be part of a winning culture.” This was the main  Another sticking point for Singleton was being able to star in John Butler’s defense. In his mind, Butler is a great defensive coordinator because “he wants the players to make the plays that come to them.” This should allow the Blackshirts to fulfill their goal of being “more aggressive on defense.” The Cornhuskers took a major step in that direction under ex-defensive coordinator Tony White.  Nebraska ranked 18th in the country in total defense and 17th in scoring defense. The team’s biggest weakness was in the number of passing yards that they allowed. Now that Butler has a full year with the Blackshirts, we should see this statistic improve in 2025. After all, Addison Williams has veteran options that he can play. Former USC transfer Ceyair Wright had 39 tackles and six pass breakups last season. Former Idaho Vandal Andrew Marshall is also a great option. The junior will compete for playing time after totaling 72 tackles in two seasons. Donovan Jones also looks to be in the mix. The redshirt freshman from Omaha is a sleeper pick in the secondary, but he did impress Rhule with his play against Boston College.

Henry Lutovsky

The 6′-6″ 320 320-pound offensive lineman will look to be the anchor to Nebraska’s offensive line this season. On 429 of his pass block attempts, Lutovsky didn’t allow a single sack.  This allowed him to adopt the mentality that he is “better than the man across from him.” But can it carry him through fall camp?  Donovan Raiola made significant upgrades to the position during the offseason. He used the transfer portal to add former Notre Dame right guard Rocco Spindler and Alabama left tackle Elijah Pritchett to the roster.  These veteran players will help “breed improvement” in Raiola’s offensive line room. This strategy has already paid dividends during the spring.   Former Utah transfer Tyler Knaak will get a chance to prove himself at the right tackle spot. He’s had a meteoric rise up the depth chart because he’s “shown up every day and worked.” But if Nebraska wants to have a truly great offensive line, the Huskers need to adopt a next-man-up mentality. The Huskers aren’t going to “pause the season just to let them recover.” Instead, Raiola will need to “work guys in and out during the season.”

Marques Buford

The fifth-year senior didn’t have a lot to say at Big Ten Media Days. He was unsure about his role as a social media correspondent. However, he should play a role as one of  Nebraska’s leaders in the secondary this season.  Buford is looking to pick up where he left off in 2024 after having  35 tackles and one interception. He’s also looking to extend his play to the postseason.  Buford’s three tackles leave a lot to be desired, but he can carry the Pinstripe Bowl victory into fall camp. It’s a reminder that he can still be excited about the program’s direction. However, he still isn’t completely satisfied. In his interview with the Big Ten Network, Buford expressed the team’s willingness to “have a fresh slate” heading into August. This will help the Huskers prepare for their first game against the Cincinnati Bearcats.